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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23381545">The Rise of the Dragon</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crossreviews/pseuds/Crossreviews'>Crossreviews</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Critical Role (Web Series), Dungeons &amp; Dragons (Roleplaying Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:48:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,245</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23381545</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crossreviews/pseuds/Crossreviews</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Rise of the Dragon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Are you sure this is going to work?” Racha asked with a raised eyebrow, watching their tabaxi friend scurry about the dimly-lit cave. With short, salt-and-pepper hair swept to the side, dark clothes and fair, sun-tanned skin, Racha was comfortable leaning in a darker corner of the cave. </p>
<p>The tabaxi, clad in deep blue robes and bits of armor that contrasted their orange fur and yellow eyes, stepped back to admire the makeshift altar they set up. A small group of their fellow pirates were strewn about the cave, sharing chatter, food, and ceremonial trinkets for the upcoming event. The tabaxi got their attention with a clap of their paw-hands.</p>
<p>“Alright, everyone!” They began, eager and energetic, “Today is a most wondrous day indeed! Uk’otoa was gracious enough to guide us to another victory and gift us with such a bounty of coin. Praise to the Leviathan Lord!”</p>
<p>There was a mixture of cheer and laughter from the small crowd. Only some of the crew came to even humor the cleric’s fanaticism, though a handful did share in their belief in the ancient leviathan. Racha just rolled their eyes.</p>
<p>“Let’s get this over with, Eyes.” They absentmindedly said, “I wanna get one of the good cots before sundown.”</p>
<p>“Right, not a moment’s waste! We must give thanks. Everyone, please, a small donation on the altar, to show our gratitude, and so that Uk’otoa may bless us on further ventures!”</p>
<p>One by one, the various crew in the cave came up to toss one of their smaller coins or gems onto the altar, while Eyes knelt beside, quietly whispering a small prayer. Racha just silently watched, and all seemed calm and quiet. </p>
<p>Too quiet.</p>
<p>Racha glanced out of a small hole in the cave wall that peered outside, just in time to see a volley of cannonballs headed for the cave.</p>
<p>“Shit, GET DOWN!” They called out, ducking behind a thicker wall. The cavern came crumbling from a forceful blast, and almost everyone was thrown aside from the force and tumbling rock. Racha stumbled to their feet, physically fine save for the minor concussion. They looked around to see their crewmates helping each other up, some of them badly injured and under some of the stones. Eyes was already beginning to magically tend to some injuries. </p>
<p>Racha looked out of the newly sundered wall to the beach outside, and it was quickly becoming a battlefield. More crewmates readied bows, swords, and the occasional spell to keep the oncoming rowboats of well-dressed sailors at bay.</p>
<p>“Clovis.” Racha muttered.</p>
<p>“The Concord!?” Eyes asked, as they ran up beside their friend, “How did they find us all the way out here?”</p>
<p>“Dammit, THIS is why we do your fancy rituals back home!” Racha barked in frustration, getting their dagger and rapier ready to join the fray. Eyes sighed and whispered a simple prayer word, a curved falchion with a slit yellow eye in the hilt forming in their hand.</p>
<p>“We’ll argue about altar setups later! Let’s go!”</p>
<p>With that, the two of them ran out to the beach, just as other sailors touched onto the sand. It was a full melee, with pirates and sailors clashing and members on both sides scoring hits left and right. Racha was skilled to take on most opponents by themselves. A few parries and deft swordplay with their rapier left most fighters unaware of the dagger ready to pierce their throats.</p>
<p>Eyes had their fair share of good takedowns as well, their cat reflexes helping them stay nimble around most slashes to then land a good blow. They also sent the occasional blast of holy light towards an unsuspecting sailor, one that almost had the drop on Racha.</p>
<p>“What the?” Racha asked, looking at the body of the sailor that was sent spiraling into the sand beside them by one such blast.</p>
<p>“Now we’re even!” Eyes called back with a smirk.</p>
<p>Racha grinned back for a moment, before a looming, swift shadow overhead caught their attention. They looked up just in time to see a broad-winged, lizardlike figure circling overhead before swooping down. There were rumors, stories of them aiding the Clovis Concord as advisors and the occasional one as a combatant, but Racha always thought it was just that. A story. But here one was, speeding towards the beach. It was small, but there was no mistake.</p>
<p>This Concord crew had a dragon with them.</p>
<p>The beast, with gleaming golden scales, roared and clawed at some of the pirates, sweeping its tail to slam another away. It then reared back before exhaling a wide cone of bright, scalding flame out to drive back more of the pirates. They were losing ground, and fast. </p>
<p>Racha and Eyes shared a glance, and a nod, before charging forward. Brandishing their blade, Eyes said a quick prayer of guidance, the falchion glowing bright white. They swung the sword, the light launched as a curved beam of energy that slammed into the side of the dragon, making it roar in pain and stagger backwards. It glimmered with the residual light, and Racha saw an opening; a gap in its scales left from the blast. They slid to the dragon’s side and dug their dagger deep into its hide, twisting the blade and using it as a handle to hold on as they attempted to hop onto the beast’s back.</p>
<p>The dragon was not so easily bested, and with a flap of its wings it pushed Racha off, leaving them fallen onto the sand. The dragon then leapt, pinning Racha down with its claws before rearing back to bite down. Eyes swiftly darted in and pushed a small shield into place to block the dragon, holding it at bay. The distraction was all Racha needed to slip out and roll back onto their feet. They stood up just in time to see Eyes take a swipe right across their chest, staggering back with a yelp and blood staining their robes.<br/>
“Eyes!!” Racha cried out, gritting their teeth as they charged back in. Leaping off of a nearby stone, they landed on the dragon’s back, digging their dagger into the side of its neck this time. It roared and thrashed about, but Racha held. One moment was all they needed to line up, and with a precision thrust, they jabbed their rapier right into the base of it’s skull. </p>
<p>Another pained growling roar, and finally the dragon stumbled and fell limp, dead in the sand. Racha dug their blades in deeper, twisted them, and pulled away. They then ran over to Eyes, who was already leaning against a stone and panting.</p>
<p>“Eyes! Are you alright?” Racha asked, dropping their weapons and looking over the wound.</p>
<p>“Yes, just-Ack! Really cut deep, but... I’ll be fine.”</p>
<p>Racha looked around, seeing the sailors already start to flee with their champion dead. They then helped Eyes into a sitting position as they began whispering small arcane words, the wound slowly closing.</p>
<p>“Guess Uk’otoa likes you, huh? Fancy healing magic and all that.”</p>
<p>Eyes chuckled and leaned back, resting and nodding. “I’m lucky he brought you along, too. I was done for if you hadn’t been there.”</p>
<p>“Hey, what’s a crew if you can’t count on them, right? Stay here, gotta do some cleaning up.”</p>
<p>Eyes rolled their eyes with a smirk as Racha picked their weapons up, running off to help drive the last few sailors off. </p>
<p>“Go get them, sweetie! Love you!”</p>
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